There was a guy named Jack, and a cow, and something about evil giants with a treasure, and a golden goose…or harp. Sounds like a lovely tale, but the truth’s a little bit more gruesome. In Fairy Tale Land, Emma, Mary Margaret, and crew, including Hook, are faced with a very tall, green, vine-y challenge. While the legend of Jack and the Beanstalk may have been distorted for us in the real world, the truth of Jack the Giant Killer and his brave, albeit foolish, quest up the beanstalk is not lost on those native to the enchanted land. And they are all too aware of the magical compass that is in the hands of the giant of the giants who resides at the stalks summit. Motivated by her love for Henry, Emma volunteers to accompany Hook up the stalk to retrieve the compass. Before leaving the ground, she makes Mulan promise to cut the beanstalk down after 10 hours if they aren’t back, and make sure Mary Margaret gets home. Several thousand feet in the air, minus harnesses or safety nets, Hook strikes up conversation, quickly alluding to Emma’s past, her abandonment and her desire to be reunited with her son. Emma, suspicious of Hook, keeps her responses to a bare minimum. Just get the job done and get home. At the top, amidst Hook’s frequent come-ons, Emma knocks out the overly giant giant with some magical powder Mulan gave her, and the two begin to search for the priceless compass.

But do you know how long magical knockout powder lasts on someone so large? Not very long. And before Emma and Hook can find the compass, the giant is upon them, crashing and breaking nearly everything in sight.

The two duck for cover; Hook is covered with large debris, and Emma is at the mercy of the giant who only wants revenge on the human species. Quick on her feet, or teeth, Emma bites the giant, captures him in his own trap, and bargains with his life for the compass, which he hands over. Humans are all the same: killers. So what does it matter if she has the compass or not. She’ll kill him anyway. Emma is many things but she is not a killer. So she lets him live. In return, the giant breaks out of his confines and offers her one favor, a safe way out and down the stalk. But Emma could have killed the giant twice, so she demands a second favor. Delay Hook for 10 hours, then the giant can let him go. It will give her and her friends a head start.

Down on the ground, the girls have taken shifts. Aurora doesn’t want to sleep due to frequent nightmares, but Mary Margaret convinces her it will be okay. Mary Margaret will watch over her, and should Aurora have any nightmares, a side-effect to the sleeping curse, Mary Margaret will be right there. Sure enough, Aurora is soon in the throes of a nightmare. Mary Margaret quickly wakes the young girl up, asking Aurora to share the nightmare. She was in a room, a red room. There were blood red curtains, but no windows. The curtains were on fire. And when she looked up from her place in a corner, there were eyes, his eyes, watching her. Mary Margaret consoles Aurora and somehow convinces her to sleep again.

Ten hours have passed since Emma and Hook disappeared up the beanstalk. Honoring Emma’s request, Mulan, sword in hand, begins to whack at the beanstalk.

Enraged, Mary Margaret flings herself at the she-warrior, knocking them both to the ground. No one, and she means no one, is ever going to put her daughter in danger!

The fight is short-lived because Emma immediately appears, falling the last several feet down the beanstalk. Mary Margaret is overjoyed and angry. How dare Emma suggest such nonsense, leaving Mary Margaret alone? They came to Fairy Tale Land together and they leave together. Does Emma understand? She does. Mother-daughter hug! Now all they have to do is steal the wardrobe ashes from Cora! (Good luck, ladies!)

In Storybrooke, or should I say Portland, Oregon, some 11 years ago, Emma is on the run. Young and dumb, she decides that today is a great day to steal a car: a bright, yellow VW bug! Jacking the car, she begins to drive, but she’s not alone. His name’s Neal, Neal Cassidy. And no, this is not his car either. In fact, Emma just stole a stolen car. Can you feel the chemistry? Well, even if you can’t, there is. With a Bonnie and Clyde-esque lifestyle for a few months, the two rob some convenience stores, planning to ultimately settle down in Tallahassee. But that life would be a dream if only Neal, in his life before Emma, hadn’t stolen some high-end watches. While he never did time, he’s a wanted man. Tallahassee is out of the question. That is until Emma decides to steal the stolen watches. (She’s pretty good at this second-hand thievery). Anyway, Neal had stashed the watches at a train depot. He still has the key. Emma can grab the watches, sell them to a fence, and they can make off to Tallahassee with dozens of G’s in pocket. Key in hand, Emma grabs the watches and meets back with Neal. All he has to do is hand the goods off to the middleman and they can be on their way. They’ll meet again in a few hours.

However, after years of failing at his duty, August Booth has caught up to Emma, or rather, Neal. Cornering the man and showing Neal some undeniable evidence (which the camera fails to let its viewers in on), August explains Emma’s destiny. Let Emma go so she can do her job. Neal reluctantly agrees. At the rendezvous, Emma waits. When Neal doesn’t show, she calls him. No answer. It’s then that a police officer spots her and the watch around her wrist that Neal gave her. Yeah, it was one of the stolen ones. Cuffed, Emma lands herself in a minimal security prison for 11 months.

Two months in two things happen. First, Neal meets with August in Canada. He can’t just let Emma go, not unless he knows she’s alright. August tells Neal that Emma is serving time, but she’s safe. When she gets out she can follow her destiny, but only if Neal stays away.

Neal gives August some cash and a key chain. He wants August to get them to Emma. And he wants to give Emma the yellow VW Bug. He’s legally registered it so she shouldn’t have any problems.

August agrees to give Emma Neal’s gift. And when Emma breaks the curse, he’ll send Neal a postcard.

Secondly, in jail, Emma receives the gift. But more than that is the news that she’s pregnant with 9 months left on her sentence.

In Storybrooke, for real this time, Henry had a bad dream. Prince Charming rushes to his side, lights a candle like he did for Snow when she had her nightmares, and waits for Henry to share.

He was in a room, a red room. There were blood red curtains, but no windows. The curtains were on fire. And when he looked up from his place in a corner, there were eyes, her eyes, watching him…

Burning Questions: 1) What does the red room with fire curtains mean? Are Henry and Aurora seeing each other? How and why? 2) How hard will it be to get the wardrobe ashes from Cora? 3) Will Hook catch up with the girls? 4) When did Emma actually live in Tallahassee? Why did she stay there so long? 5) Will we get to see more of Emma’s back-story? Will this reveal who helped Rumplestiltskin procure Henry for Regina? 6) What was the object Neal saw in August’s box? Would Emma have seen it too, and not a typewriter, if she had believed in magic when August showed her in Season 1? 7) Will Neal Cassidy go to Storybrooke? What will happen when/if he does? ~ Taryn